Jack Gerard
Jane Van Ryan
More voices are speaking out against the climate legislation being considered on Capitol Hill. Here's a sampling of some of the statements and studies that have been in the news during the past couple of days.
Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Kit Bond released a report showing that the Waxman-Markey climate bill amounts to a $3.6 trillion energy tax on transportation fuels. The study shows that from 2010 to 2050 motorists, workers and businesses would pay $2.0 trillion more for gasoline; truckers, farmers and businesses would pay $1.3 trillion more for diesel fuel; and airline passengers would be charged $330 billion more to pay for jet fuel.
Reacting to the Hutchinson/Bond study, the American Trucking Association (ATA) issued a news release to remind elected officials that diesel fuel is used to deliver nearly 70 percent of U.S. freight and virtually all consumer goods, including food, clothing and medicine. "Any substantial fuel cost increase imposed directly or indirectly on the trucking industry will cause the cost of all these essential products to rise," ATA said.
Deneen Borelli of Project 21, an African-American leadership network, said that 76 percent of black Americans want Congress to make economic recovery its top priority, not climate legislation. In a Baltimore Sun op-ed, he referenced a new poll showing that inner city, low-income workers believe they could feel the brunt of climate legislation costs. The survey shows that 65 percent of blacks believe lawmakers don't consider their economic and quality of life concerns when formulating climate policies. And more than 70 percent aren't willing to pay above 50 cents a gallon more for gasoline and $50 more per year for electricity.
Additionally, the Business Roundtable called on Congress and the administration to address climate change without hampering the U.S. economy. The Roundtable suggested that the United States enhance energy efficiency, maintain coal's long-term viability, encourage the expansion of nuclear power, expand and modernize the electric grid, and provide access for oil and natural gas exploration and production. "We need to put all energy sources on the table and commit to the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies," said Michael G. Morris, chair of the Business Roundtable's Sustainable Growth Initiative.
Add these voices to the thousands of Energy Citizens who rallied against the House climate bill during the summer congressional recess, and it's clear that many Americans are questioning the wisdom of the Waxman-Markey and Kerry-Boxer proposals. But the question is: are Congress and the administration listening?
I find the scientific evidence proving man-made climate change is overwhelming. Unfortunately, we are ruled by politicians, and politicians care about a lot more than science. At the top of the list, they care about money and being re-elected. The energy industry is a powerful political force. Much more powerful than scientists. Therefore, politicians give more attention to the arguments of the energy sector as opposed to science.
In its 20th anniversary presentation in 2007, the International Panel on Climate Change noted that "warming is unequivocal." But even on a common sense basis, it is foolish to think we can burn hundreds of millions of tons of carbon and not expect it to alter the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It's a heat-trapping gas. This is scientific fact.
Thus, we simply must stop burning carbon as soon as possible, for the good of ourselves and future generations. Your industry is in an unlucky spot on this one. But as a society, we must be guided by empirical data moving forward.
After all these taxes are paid does anyone benefit? I am in Michigan and the potholes/roads that are out there some are really back breakers/tire eating potholes. I thought our taxes that we pay on fuel were supposed to take care of these? With all the millions spent on taxes - where has the income from these gone? To line pockets of politicians, middlemen, who?
Folks, the answer is NO. Obama and Crew have an agenda and they are sticking to it. Publicly at least. From Obamacare to Cap and Tax. They can not NOT hear you. They KNOW what you are telling them. They understand that you do not want any of this. They understand that Cap and Tax has NOTHING to do with "Saving the Planet" just like Obamacare has NOTHING to do with Healthcare. That is NOT the real reasons what they are pushing either. They are both nothing more than POWER GRABS. Power, control, and of course, MONEY. They understand that the people that will be hurt most are the ones that can not afford to pay. The poor and down trodden will be hurt the most with these insane and unnecessary SCHEMES. Those that have to chose what to cut out when gas and Energy Costs Skyrocket, just to be able to go to work. But the sad thing is, they really do not seem to care.
Truth is though, they DO care about the Voting Both. The only thing they care more about than acquiring MORE power, is staying IN Power. So even if it seems that they do not care, or that they are not listening, privately, they are. Privately they are scared to death of pushing YOU to far. The question is, how far will they follow the Leadership down this path that they KNOW you want no part in going. Keep letting them know, YOU will not allow them to lead, if they continue.
Peter
No one in the Obama Administration is listening to what you want! They lied to get into POWER and now they are making the changes they want to make!
What happened to all of the new, "Green Jobs" which were supposed to be created with the Recovery/Reinvestment Act of 2009? On the campaign trail, we heard about 4 million new jobs created or saved! Then, during the Summer of 2009, we heard about 600,000 new jobs being created! Where are those jobs?
The USDA and Department of Energy (DOE) are supposed to be providing grants/loans to allow businesses to create those new jobs. However, these 2 agencies are actually making it almost impossible for new jobs to be created! They are providing grants to companies like General Motors and DuPont, though! DOE does not even have a program in place to work with Small Businesses in the area of loans. However, Energy Secretary Chu says he hopes to one day have such a program, just like he hopes to one day have a loan program which only takes 15 months to complete.
Does this sound like what you heard on the campaign trail?
What about the Republicans? They are just wanting to say that this is not something they voted for!
I say that we should get rid of everyone in office and start over. Then, just maybe, someone would actually listen to us for a change!